


Eight Arms to Hold You

by d2fmeasurement



Category: Black Mirror
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 04:38:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13356666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d2fmeasurement/pseuds/d2fmeasurement
Summary: A story of the love between James Walton and Jillian from marketing.





	Eight Arms to Hold You

“Alright. Try this one,” Jillian said, putting a cup in James’ hand. 

James was wearing one of his socks wrapped around his head as a blindfold. He took a sip from the cup. “That is from the purple bottle with the wiggly neck.” 

Jillian shook her head with amazement. “Yes, you got it.” 

She mixed two drinks together in another cup. 

“Okay. How about this one?”

James took a sip. “Short red bottle mixed with that green one with the black triangle on it.” 

“James, you’re fucking with me,” she said. “You can see through that blindfold, can’t you?”

He laughed as he took the sock off his head and put it back on his foot. “I would never lie to you, Jillian. I’ve just had a lot of time to learn about all the offerings at this bar.”

“Yeah, you said you’ve been here since November,” she said. “I guess that’s… a pretty long time.” She furrowed her eyebrows.

James frowned. He knew Jillian would experience for herself just how insufferably slowly the time passed here soon enough. He put a hand on her leg, wanting to distract her. “Hey,” he said. “You know what else we could do to pass the time here…”

Jillian laughed. “That’s your line? That it would pass the time?” Since waking up in the USS Callister, everything had been terrifying and strange. So, it was comforting to know the one constant in her life would always be laughing at James’ cheesy lines and then ultimately making out with him. 

“I’m just saying, just because we can’t go all the way, that doesn’t mean we can’t make out. It’s like church camp in that way,” James said. 

Jillian rolled her eyes, but also leaned in closer to James. “You are just hitting it out of the park with these romantic lines.”

“What can I say? It’s a gift,” he said, moving his hand on her leg. 

Jillian self-consciously looked around the bridge. “There are other rooms on this ship, right? Where we can get some privacy?”

“Technically, there are other rooms,” James said. “But, Daly does not like it if we’re not on the bridge when he shows up, which could be at any time.”

Jillian sighed. “Great. We can’t even have privacy.” As she spoke, she pushed James’ hand off her leg. 

“Just go for it,” Elena said from across the bridge.

“Yeah, we’ve all made out with James,” Shania agreed. 

“They really have. A lot,” Nate said, rolling his eyes.

Shania raised an eyebrow at him. “Hey, James getting it because he’s not shy about asking.”

Nate did a double take and Shania flashed him a smile. 

Jillian leaned closer to James so they could speak in whispers. “I’m some weird fucking topsy-turvy nerd universe and still I’m sharing you with every other woman who walks into your eyeline?”

“Jillian,” he said. “You can’t possibly be mad at me for not being able to commit. This is an endless nightmare where we do whatever we can to make it more tolerable. Including occasionally going to second base with our hot fellow prisoners.”

Even though he was dodging discussion of his commitment issues just like normal, it was very obviously hiding real pain. Jillian squeezed his hand. “I still haven’t gotten used to this being our actual lives.”

“You will,” James murmured, looking down at the floor. 

Jillian leaned in and gently kissed him. 

James happily kissed back. He started feeling her chest. He slid his hand underneath the top of her dress to feel her up. 

She blushed and looked around.

“It’s fine. Think of us like furniture,” Kabir murmured, focusing on the view of the stars outside.

Jillian kissed James aggressively. It was strange making out with absolutely no chance of getting wet, but it was still a nice feeling. 

They were interrupted by the sound of the bridge doors. “Fuck!” James said, pushing Jillian away hard and hurrying from her. 

Jillian sat up straight. She waited for Kabir to say anything, so that she could repeat it, which seemed to be her entire role on the ship. 

Daly walked in and looked around at everyone. His eyes widened when he saw Jillian.

She frowned, shaking a little. “Good afternoon, Captain Daly,” she said. 

Daly cringed at her. “Ensign…” He seemed to be having trouble even forming words. He gestured towards her chest.

She looked down and saw that James had pushed up the top of her dress and the bottom of her bra was sticking out of it. “Sorry, sir,” she said, tucking it back in. 

He looked at her with disgust and said, “Please attempt a modicum of professionalism.” 

“Of course, captain,” she said, nodding. 

 

The crew acted out a bland standoff with Valdak, then began singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” The song was really starting to drive Jillian nuts, but she sang along. 

After Robert kissed Shania and Elena, he pulled Jillian in. 

She started to lean in, but then changed her mind. Kissing Robert had been bearable before, but it felt excruciating in comparison to being with James. “No,” she said, tilting her head away. 

“Jillian, it’s okay, you should just do it,” James said.

Robert whipped his head around to look at James. “I don’t see what this could possibly have to do with you, Walton.”

James swallowed nervously. He was terrified, but at least the heat was off of Jillian. “I’m sorry, captain. I spoke out of turn.” He dropped to his knees and said, “I’m so sorry.”

Robert turned back to Jillian. 

Jillian looked down at James. She could see how scared he was. She leaned in to kiss Robert. 

He put his hands firmly on her shoulders and said, “It’s too late for that, ensign. You’re obviously always going to be trouble.”

Jillian whimpered as she started feeling strange pangs throughout her body. She wasn’t sure what was happening until she looked down and saw the hideous new limbs she was sprouting. 

“Tulaska, it seems that one of Valdack’s creatures as somehow arrived on the ship. Beam it back to his ship,” Robert said.

Elena stared at Jillian, her mouth agape. “Are you— are you sure, captain?”

“Of course I’m sure, Tulaska,” Robert said. “It’s an order.”

“Yes, sir!” Elena said quickly. She picked up Jillian. 

Jillian tried to scream, but it just came out as strange alien noises. 

Elena set her down and softly said, “If you’re still in there… I’m sorry.”

 

When Jillian appeared on Valdack ship, he assumed that she was some monster that Robert sent just to torment him. He shoved her into a closet to be safe. 

She had no idea how much time passed before she saw light again. 

Valdack looked at her uncertainly and said, “I’m supposed to… release you on the team like some sort of secret weapon. You can jump out when I give the order? You won’t ruin this for me?”

Jillian nodded to the best of her ability. 

 

On cue, Jillian jumped out from behind a cliff. When she saw James, she wanted to cry. But, of course she couldn’t. She ran towards him in a move that, fortunately for her, looked basically like an attack.

“Oh no, it’s coming right at me! Save me, Captain!” James shouted.

Jillian’s heart sank when she heard James call her ‘it.’ She thrashed her arms desperately at him, frustrated. 

A buzzer rang. “Hold on,” Robert said. “I’m getting a delivery. Pause game.” Robert froze. 

James’ demeanor completely changed. Instead of looking terrified, he flashed Jillian a smile. “How are you doing, baby girl? You been holding up okay?”

Jillian stared at him gratefully. She nuzzled her head against his leg hard.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re tough. It’s okay.” He turned towards Valdack and called out, “Have you been treating her alright? It’s Jillian, man.”

Valdack looked horrified. “That’s Jillian? Fuck. Shit. I’m sorry.”

James’ jaw tightened. “Well, try to fucking take care of her from now on,” he snapped even though he knew it wasn’t Valdack’s fault. He turned back to Jillian and cupped her face in his hands. “You look great, by the way,” he told her.

Jillian’s body relaxed. She lightly touched James’ hand with one of her limbs.

James grinned at her with the same obnoxiously smug smile he always had when he knew one of his lines had totally worked.


End file.
